


Come What May

by legendofthesevenstars



Category: Tenkuu no Escaflowne | The Vision of Escaflowne
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bodyswap, Gen, Injury, Interior monologue, POV Alternating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:27:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28162407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/legendofthesevenstars/pseuds/legendofthesevenstars
Summary: A Zaibach Fate Alteration experiment swaps the consciousnesses of Van Fanel and Allen Schezar. Not knowing how to break the spell, they decide to live as each other for the day. Along the way, they discover things they never realized about each other's lives.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Van Fanel & Allen Schezar
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Come What May

**Author's Note:**

> This AU begins just before Episode 19, "Operation Golden Rule of Love." Some of the events of Episode 19 occur (and there are homages/references to its events as well), but it diverges pretty quickly.

“When the dragon and the girl come close, the image of the future wavers. We must not allow our ideal future to be disrupted.”

“Indeed.” Folken watched the hologram of Emperor Dornkirk flicker. “If they are not separated, we cannot achieve that ideal future.”

“But how can we possibly separate them?”

Folken hummed in thought. The girl’s heart was already conflicted enough. Maybe if it were harder for Van to express his feelings, she’d have more trouble understanding her own. He doubted he’d have to sabotage Van at all. But, since the girl was such an unknown element, it seemed worth a try.

“I have an idea,” he said. “It involves a lesser form of Fate Alteration magic. What if we swap the consciousness of the dragon with that of his closest rival?”

“Leon Schezar’s boy?” Dornkirk chuckled, a rare laugh from him that sounded more like an ancient growl. “Interesting proposition.”

“There is one drawback. Should the girl figure out the truth, the Fate Alteration will shatter. Our success depends solely on how long the dragon and his rival keep up their charade.”

“And you’re certain this won’t be a complete disaster?”

Folken smirked, just barely. “It depends. How much, or how little, are they willing to risk for their own feelings?”

More than anything, it would be a test of just how well the two knew each other, and of how well the girl from the Mystic Moon knew them.

—

Allen opened his eyes. He’d expected a vino hangover, but he only felt a little tired. His feet were far closer than usual. And when he sat up, his hair didn’t stick to his back. Lifting his hands, he saw they were light brown, and his arms much skinnier.

He pinched his arm, hard. He slapped his cheek. “Ow,” he hissed under his breath.

That sounded like Van’s voice.

 _Van’s_ voice?! He threw the covers aside, and sure enough, he was wearing Van’s tan pants. He rushed out of bed to look in the mirror.

“What the _hell_?!” he whispered, glaring at his reflection.

Van’s head was pounding, and his throat was dry. His legs were cold, but he hadn’t taken his pants off before going to bed. His back felt sweaty, like a bunch of hair was stuck to it. When he sat up, strands of blonde hair fell forward. Looking down at his bare chest, he saw his skin was much fairer.

He lifted the covers. All he had on was a pair of linen underwear.

Climbing out of bed, he noticed just how much shorter everything around him seemed, and when he made it to the mirror, his blue eyes went wide.

“What the—” He gasped. “Allen’s voice?”

 _So I’m Van now?_ Allen continued to stare at his reflection. _Is this some kind of Doppelg_ _änger magic?! No, it can’t be. I’d be dead if it were a Doppelg_ _änger._ He sighed. _I’m really going to have to get used to being this short._ He brushed Van’s bangs away from his left eye. _How does he see through these? But I shouldn’t tuck them behind my ears. That’ll look foolish._

Folding Van’s arms, he looked him over in the mirror. _For a swordsman, he really is skinny. And he doesn’t have a single scar._ He rested Van’s hand on his nearly flat stomach. _Is he getting enough to eat?_ Eyeing each shoulder, he frowned. _And is he training enough? His arms are so scrawny. I guess it’s just because he’s so small. He probably hates when people point out his size. I don’t know if he’s going to remember this, so I should be respectful._

_Wait, if I’m Van, that means I have wings!_

_I’m in Allen’s body._ Van flexed Allen’s fingers. _I have control over everything. But how did I get here? And if I’m_ here _, what happened to Allen?_ He stared at Allen’s reflection. _His arms are all muscle, and those sleeves really hide how broad his shoulders are._ He pinched his stomach. _He’s kind of soft in the middle… Balgus got that way when he was older. Doesn’t seem like Allen to eat that much. Maybe he’s stressed._

He trailed Allen’s fingers over the scar from the puncture wound in his side. _He got this protecting Hitomi. But look how quickly it healed._ There were a few other, older scars; one looked like it had been a deep cut. _This is making me uncomfortable. Allen’s really a private and modest person, and he wouldn’t want me staring at his chest in the mirror. I need to get dressed._

On the windowsill, Allen had laid out his entire uniform for the following day. _Seriously? He lays out all his clothes the night before? At least that makes getting dressed easier, but what do I do with all this hair?!_ He pulled at the roots of Allen’s hair. _It’s never this tangled when I see it. He must comb it._ He groaned. _That’s going to take forever!_

Triumph rose in Allen’s chest. He wouldn’t have to comb his hair; all he’d have to do was make sure his bangs lay just right. He wouldn’t even have to put on stockings yet, though it would probably be a good idea considering how cold it got at higher altitudes.

_Now, how does Van do this? Maybe he just concentrates really hard and then it happens? Or maybe he forces them out?_

He clenched his fists and strained, focusing on his back. The muscles beneath his shoulderblades tingled, then he heard Van’s wings opening with a _whoosh_. He couldn’t withhold his excited gasp. _Wow! I did it!_ He peered over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the wings, then walked over to the mirror again. His eyes widened. _They’re gorgeous!_

 _But it doesn’t matter that I have wings now._ He dropped his arms limply to his sides, pouting. _I don’t know how to fly._

Van gritted his teeth as he dragged the comb through another knot in Allen’s hair. _I still have to get dressed after this!_ Looking at the pieces of the uniform, a sense of dread overcame him, particularly when he noticed the kerchief that Allen always wore under his collar was significantly longer than usual. Was he going to have to tie it?

_I’m definitely going to mess that up. Maybe I can just tell everyone I was in a hurry? I could ask another knight to tie it for me, but he’ll think it’s odd coming from me. Isn’t Allen one of the best knights in his rank? There’s no way it’s not going to be weird if I ask. I’ll just have to give it a try myself._

Once he’d finished combing Allen’s hair, he walked over to the windowsill. The shirt had to come first, since that would be tucked into the jumpsuit. There were little metal hooks on the inside of the shirt, and the jumpsuit was held together by three cords. The hooks were almost impossible to push through the little metal hoops on the other side of the shirt, but when it came to the jumpsuit, he found himself utterly clueless. _This is a nightmare. There’s no way I can do this properly._

_I need Allen’s help._

Allen folded his arms and looked at his winged reflection. _I have to stop fooling around. We were all supposed to meet in the atrium this morning. I’m going to have to start acting like him._ He folded his arms tighter, furrowing his brow and pouting. _Push out that bottom lip a bit more. Yeah. Perfect._ He quirked his eyebrows up and down. He tried a smirk, then a smile, then burst into laughter. _So funny to see a smile on his face._ He frowned. _It’s rare that he ever smiles. I kind of wish it weren’t._

He picked up the wrinkled red shirt off the floor, shaking out the dust and dirt. He tried to put it on, then realized the wings were still open. _How am I going to get those back in?_ He furrowed his brow again, trying to focus on pulling them back in. He started pacing back and forth, hoping a change in position might help the wings disappear. As he turned away from the window to pace in another direction, he heard a crash and felt the wings collide with something behind him.

“What did I just do,” he mumbled, turning around again. A wooden box standing on the dresser had fallen to the floor. Barely had he knelt to pick it up when someone knocked on his door.

_Oh, no. Who is it? I’ve got to get his wings back in…_

He walked slowly to the door, still holding the red shirt. He tried peeking through the crack, but the door was too tightly fit.

“It’s me,” his own voice hissed. “It’s _me_ , Allen.”

“Van?” he whispered.

“Just let me in, quickly!”

“Okay, give me a moment!”

He opened the door and stepped back. He only glimpsed himself briefly before his forehead hit the doorframe with a _thunk_.

“ _Argh_! Not again!”

Allen winced at first, then bit his lip to hide his smile, stifling a giggle. His guest grumbled, rubbing his forehead, and slammed the door behind him. Finally, he turned around, and Allen found himself face-to-face with himself.

—

_Hey, when did I get so small?_

Van frowned down at himself. His wings were extended. His eyes were wide, and his hands were firmly on both hips. He was still barefoot and bare-chested. His bangs looked backward, even if it was how everyone else saw them. And he looked short from this angle. _So strange to be tall._

_Hey, when did I get so tall?_

Allen stared up at himself. His hair was half-combed. The cords of his jumpsuit and uniform skirt were twisted, and his shirt was crookedly buttoned. He’d tucked the cravat under his collar without even bothering to tie it. He was scowling, and he looked huge. _So strange to be small._

“So,” Allen said, “what’s going on?”

“Help me get your stupid uniform on, then we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

“Not even going to ask nicely, huh?” He reached for the cravat. “Give me this.” Yanking it from beneath the collar of his uniform, he looped it around his neck and tied it. When he handed it to himself, he saw his lip curled in disgust.

“How was I supposed to figure _that_ out?”

“You weren’t, much like I have no idea how to get these back in. You’re—” he paused. “You’re Van, right?”

“Yes, I’m Van. And you’re in my body.”

“I am, but _I’m_ Allen. And you’re in _my_ body. So tell me how to get rid of these, would you?”

“Why did you even spread them in the first place?!” Van sputtered. “It’s like you’re asking for something bad to happen. Just close your eyes and concentrate really hard on pulling them back in.”

He closed his eyes, concentrating hard again, then felt the wings return. Opening his eyes, he reached behind himself to touch his shoulderblades, and felt only bare skin. “Good, took care of that.” He pulled the shirt over his head, then looked up at Van. “Where are your gloves?”

“They’re with my sword.” He pointed to it leaning against the wall next to the window.

Allen walked over, buckled Van’s sword belt, and put on his gloves. When he turned around to look at Van again, he tried not to laugh, but a snort escaped.

“It’s not funny!” Van snapped.

“I’m only laughing because I understand how difficult the first time is. But come on, you don’t even know how a _hook and eye_ works?”

“A what?”

“The little metal things on the inside of my shirt?”

Van rolled his eyes. “Oh, _those_ things. I don’t have any little metal bits on any of my clothes, so no. I tried putting those tiny little hooks through their hoops for ten minutes, but it’s almost impossible because your fingers are too big and I didn’t want to break anything.”

“I manage it just fine with the same fingers every single morning. You’re all crooked, and your cords aren’t going to stay in place. Undo everything and start over.”

Van grumbled. Taking off Allen’s gloves, he started undoing the hooks and eyes on his shirt. “Could you at least tell me how to do the cords?”

“I’ll just fix them myself. Unbuckle the straps of your jumpsuit, would you? When you tuck your shirt back in, you’re going to wrinkle it if your suit’s on tight.”

He walked back over, took off his gloves, and then leaned in to untangle the cords. He’d hardly started the first one when he couldn’t help but let out a noise of exasperation.

“What is it? Did I break something?”

“No, it’s just—How did you even get these this twisted? You only have to wind each one around the toggles twice if you do it properly.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Why don’t you tell _me_ why your uniform is so damn complicated?”

Allen said nothing, just untangled the cords and rewound them. Once he’d finished fixing them, he righted the uniform skirt and stood upright again. “Did you comb your hair?”

“Who are you, my mother?”

“I’m not going to let you go anywhere without your hair and clothing immaculately done. This is Palas. You’re representing the Knights Caeli, at least for as long as you’re stuck as me.”

Van grumbled again. “How did we even get here?”

“I don’t know. I thought it was a dream, but it seems very real.”

“Then what else could it be?”

Allen hummed in thought. “I suspected it was a Doppelgänger, but we’d both be dead. I don’t really have any ideas other than that.”

“Then if we don’t figure it out, are we going to be stuck like this forever?!” Van bunched the shirt in his fist, forcing the next hook into its eye.

“There must be some way we can go back to normal. But this morning, we have to go up to the atrium. So we’ve got no time to debate how we got here.”

Van sighed. “But everyone’s gonna be there.” He ground his teeth as he struggled with another hook and eye. “Can’t we just stay in our rooms for a while until it wears off? Maybe it’ll go away after a few hours.”

“Someone will come to check on us. And don’t forget Zaibach’s still out there. We may have escaped safely, but they’re still hunting Escaflowne.”

Van froze, his eyes going wide. “Escaflowne!”

“Hopefully, by the time they get here, we’ll be back in our bodies operating our own Guymelefs.”

“But if not, how are you going to know what to do? I can’t operate Escaflowne while I’m in your body.” He narrowed his eyes. “Maybe this is Zaibach’s plan to get me away from Escaflowne so they can capture it!”

“Is Zaibach even capable of something like this? This is the kind of thing that only happens in old legends.” He gasped. “No, it couldn’t be…”

“What?”

“It might be a side effect of our time in the Mystic Valley!” He furrowed his brow. “That seems much more likely.”

“Then do you know how we can get out of it?”

He frowned. _Hitomi helped me break out of my mind in the Mystic Valley. But I don’t know if she did the same for Van. And I don’t really want to tell him what I saw and experienced there. Maybe she isn’t the key anyway._

“I have no idea,” he said. It was only half a lie.

“Yeah, neither do I.” Van finished his buttoning, stuffed the shirt into the jumpsuit, and buckled the straps. “Is everything in place now?”

“Almost.” He tugged the ends of the shirt collar out from underneath the jumpsuit straps, then tightened the cravat so the collar wasn’t loose. “There.”

“Thanks.” Van scratched the back of his neck. “What now?”

“Well, you look and sound like me, so you should probably act like me.”

Van grumbled yet again. “Thought that’s what you’d say.”

“What, you want to tell everyone? And make them worry that something is seriously wrong?”

“Something _is_ seriously wrong! How did we get here? How can we get out of it?”

“I don’t know anything. I don’t know who or what got us here, or how we can get out of it. That’s why I’m saying what we need to do is act like each other until it wears off. We’re not going to just miraculously find a way to make it go away, so until then, we’re going to have to preserve some sense of normalcy.”

Van averted his eyes. “I guess it would be pretty stupid if _I_ went around telling everyone, but _you_ acted like nothing was wrong.”

“Here’s the other thing—this might go on for just a few hours, or it could be a few days. We have no way of knowing, so until then, we’re going to have to get used to it.”

Van frowned. _He makes it sound so easy. But how am I supposed to act like him? He’s always so calm and charismatic. And he has no trouble talking to people. How can he be so outgoing?_

Allen hummed in thought. _It sounds easy when I say it like that. But how am I supposed to act like him? He has no tact or self-control. And he’s always isolating himself and running away. How am I supposed to keep up that kind of behavior?_

“They’re going to be looking for us soon,” Allen said. “You should head back and finish getting dressed.”

“Yeah, I will.”

“And don’t forget to comb your hair.”

Van rolled his eyes, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind him.

—

“Lord Van!”

 _Oh,_ no _. I totally forgot about_ her _._

Allen steadied himself, but Merle’s hug still knocked Van’s tiny body back onto its heels. He was overwhelmed by the smell of cat as she nuzzled his face. Normally, he’d feel at ease with a woman clinging to his arm, but Merle wasn’t a woman. She was a kid, and a weird one, if his few interactions with her were anything to go by.

“Good morning, Merle.”

“Huh?” She quirked a brow. “Um, hi, Lord Van?”

_He probably wouldn’t have even said hello. I can’t be so polite. Gotta keep that pout on my face._

He frowned, then tugged her forward, walking toward the atrium.

Van had arrived early; he’d never known Allen to be late to anything. He wasn’t sure if there was some formal pose expected of him, so he just folded his hands in his lap. Dryden was already sitting at the desk, and Princess Eries was standing there whispering to him. Every now and then she shot a cold glare at Van.

 _Why does she keep glaring at me?_ _Maybe it has something to do with Millerna. After all, she’s her sister, and Allen and Millerna were together for a while._

Allen was the next to arrive, with Merle glued to his arm. She whispered something to Allen, then scampered away. He walked in and stood across from Van, arms folded and a frown on his face. Eries left the room, and a moment later, Hitomi appeared.

Van watched Hitomi walk across the room to stand near Allen. She didn’t spare a glance at Allen, but looked at Van instead. Van offered a smile, though he wasn’t sure if it looked anything like one of Allen’s smiles. She looked at Allen, who continued to scowl.

Van sighed through his nose. _Come on, I don’t frown that much, do I?_

Allen examined Van’s posture. _He’s still slumped over a little. Why is he folding his hands in his lap? He must be nervous._

“Everyone’s all here?” Dryden said, scanning the room. “Well, we’re going through with the wedding.”

Hitomi gasped. “You and Millerna are getting married?”

“You could say she’s finally seen my worth. Though the best reason to do it right now is that I’ve got a lot of money. With my money and Asturia’s power, Zaibach won’t even think of touching us.”

Van frowned. “Zaibach doesn’t care about your money. Their goal is destroying Gaea. Your becoming king won’t change anything.”

“Is that any way to speak to your future regent, Sir Allen?”

“Regent?” Allen said.

“Right.” Allen turned his head at the sound of Eries’ voice. _When did she get here?_ “Dryden and Millerna were engaged to begin with. And Father is on his deathbed right now. After Millerna left Asturia, he fell ill.” She glared icily at Van. “Because you took Millerna with you, now Dryden must serve as regent.

“Regardless of Father’s condition, we’re willing to forgive you for your crimes.”

“What crimes?” Van said.

“You tried to incite a rebellion against your country. And you also attacked Zaibach, one of Asturia’s allies, unprovoked.”

“No way,” Hitomi started, but before she could continue, Van cut in.

“I never rebelled against my country! And Zaibach attacked Asturia first. I was trying to defend Asturia and Freid!”

“Allen, what is this _nonsense_?” Eries glared at him. “You are a Knight Caeli. Please act in a manner befitting your station. Otherwise, Father may change his mind.”

Van tried to refrain from gritting his teeth. Across the room, he could see Allen’s eyes wide with horror, and shame roiled in the pit of his stomach. “I’m sorry for speaking out of turn, Princess.”

_Damn it! I’ve barely started the day and I’ve already messed up. But I couldn’t just let her spout lies about Allen’s good name._

“Whether you are innocent or not,” Eries said, “you should be ashamed of what you compelled Millerna to do, and what has resulted from that.”

“That’s enough!” Millerna stood in the doorway, her hand on the doorframe. “Don’t embarrass me, Eries. Father’s on the mend now that I’ve returned.”

She walked over to Van, smiling up at him. Van tried to suppress his anger and offered a smile. _The least I can do after that is act nice to Millerna. Allen may not be involved with her anymore, but he definitely still cares about her._

“Congratulations on your wedding to Dryden, Princess Millerna.”

She extended her hand expectantly. He blinked. _What am I supposed to do with it?_

“Well?” she whispered under her breath. “Kneel!”

He knelt on one knee, and as he did, he remembered when they had first met Millerna upon arriving in Palas, and what Allen had done as a way of greeting. He took Millerna’s hand and pressed his lips to the back of it. After a few moments passed, he stood, smiling again.

Millerna raised an eyebrow, but she walked out of the room with Dryden all the same. Allen shot him a grimace. Van knew he must have messed something up. After Eries and Hitomi left, Allen walked over to him.

“What took you so long?”

Then he was gone before Van could ask if that was going to be bad. Seeing as Eries was reappearing in the doorway, it was bad.

“What kind of imprudent, petulant behavior was that?” she asked, hands folded tightly in her lap, eyes narrowed. “Did you forget your basic manners while stationed on the Fanelian border? Or is being away from other Caeli for too long making you forget the code?”

Van felt like he was indirectly being insulted. _Is she trying to say Fanelians don’t have basic manners?_

“I apologize, Princess, but I didn’t sleep well last night,” he said, hoping to get out of this conversation quickly. “I’ve really got to return to bed and get a little bit of rest.”

“I think not.” She grabbed his sleeve, preventing him from leaving. “Tell me the truth, Allen. Do you still love Millerna?”

_How am I supposed to answer that? I didn’t see how he reacted to the announcement. But there’s no way I can say ‘yes.’_

“No. I’ve moved on.”

“So you admit you did love her. Is that why you wouldn’t push her away, like you should have?”

 _What does she want me to say?_ “I never meant to make her unhappy,” he tried.

“But you were the reason why she ran away and abandoned our country. It was fortunate that Dryden pulled her back to her senses. Do you not believe he’ll be a good king? Or are you still bitter and planning to betray Asturia yet again?”

“Don’t accuse me of treason. I support Dryden assuming the throne, even if I don’t think it will change Zaibach’s plans.”

“Do not act like your personal feelings play no role in this. You want Millerna’s happiness, too, don’t you? Be honest with me, Allen. Do you believe that her happiness lies with Dryden, or with you?”

_I don’t know! I barely know Millerna. How should I know? There was something between her and Allen. She used her medical knowledge to save him when he was injured. But lately, Allen has been avoiding her and spending more time with Hitomi, and I guess Millerna’s been around Dryden._

_One thing’s for sure, Dryden is really good at pissing Allen off. But I can’t exactly tell_ her _that Allen hates Dryden. She’ll just think that Allen wishes he were in Dryden’s place._

“Her happiness lies wherever she believes it does,” Van said. “And if she has found happiness with Dryden, then I will let her be with him.”

“Do you really—?”

“Yeah, I do. I appreciate your concern, Princess Eries, but I’ve got to…” _Think fast. Think fast._ “…take a walk to clear my head.”

“I see. Farewell for now.”

“Goodbye, Princess Eries.” He nearly ran out of the room and tore down the hallway. _I’ve gotta get out of this castle!_

—

Allen sighed, pinching his brow. Van had just been trying to defend him, but if he’d known anything about the code of chivalry, he’d known it would be taboo for a knight to speak up against his country. Allen was already on King Aston’s bad side, and he didn’t want it to get any worse. The King had essentially banished him to Fort Castelo for his sin, and he could also remove him from his position.

Even worse, Van had nearly acted in direct violation of the code just because he didn’t know Asturian etiquette. His ignorance would be interpreted as reluctance. He’d seen the look on Eries’ face when he left, and it spelled bad news for Van. Even if Allen didn’t personally get along with Dryden, he didn’t object to the marriage, but would Van know that? At this point, he wouldn’t be able to get him alone to try and explain everything. It would draw suspicion if he sought out “Allen,” since Van never went looking for him, and Van never spent much time in the castle in the morning or afternoon. Van would just have to do his best acting, and so would Allen.

_I don’t know where he goes all day, but Merle said she’d be waiting at the west entrance. She should know._

He made his way to the west entrance, where Merle stood with her hands laced behind her back. She clasped his arm with both hands, settling in beside him.

“Are you heading out to the barn?” she asked.

“The barn?”

“Yeah. You wanted to do something with Escaflowne, remember?”

“I had to polish its blade.”

“Actually, I think you needed to wash the cape?”

“I’ll take care of that first, then.”

“Oh, okay.” When he didn’t move, she asked, “What are you waiting for?”

“How do I get there?”

“You went there by yourself yesterday. I thought you knew how to get there.” When he said nothing, she gestured toward the city. “You know, down that way and past the tavern with the sign with the dolphin on it, then you turn right…”

“Past the Blue Dolphin. Now I remember. Thanks, Merle.” He flashed a smile at her and started through the streets.

“Lord Van?” She blinked wide-eyed at him. “How’d you remember the name of the tavern?”

 _Oops._ “I guess it just stuck in my head after I walked by there the past few days.”

“I’m just surprised you remembered it.”

Merle set the pace; Allen decided it would be best to match her. He was still getting used to his shorter stride, and she would know how fast Van usually walked. Commoners and merchants were going about their business as usual, with none of them aware of or distracted by his presence. He looked at them out of the corners of his eyes, trying to keep turning his head to a minimum. The few people who looked at him only looked a moment before turning away.

After he was named to the order, Allen had to get used to being somewhat of a celebrity. The Caeli uniform was incredibly recognizable, and he’d gained a bit of fame for being both the youngest and most skilled Knight Caeli. Both women and men turned their heads when he walked through the streets of Palas. Now, he realized just how ordinary Van looked. _No one suspects he’s the King of Fanelia. No regalia, just humble clothing that wouldn’t be out of place on the average citizen. He just blends in._

He was surprised that rather than feeling disappointed that no one was noticing him, he almost felt comfortable. _When I wear my uniform, people expect everything of me… but I know I can never fulfill those expectations because of my past._

He glanced at the sign hanging from the Blue Dolphin when they passed it. The road out of the capital faded from cobblestones into dirt, and the country cathedral and a giant barn came into view. Merle let go of his arm and bounded up the hill, and he jogged after her, greeted by the sight of Escaflowne, concealed in the shadows cast by the rafters of the barn.

He tried to hold back his awe at seeing the ancient Guymelef up close again. _It’s incredible. From head to foot._ He knew the control chamber wouldn’t be too different from Scherazade’s, but he wished he could hop in and just give it a try. _But I can’t, not when Zaibach’s still out there._

“If you get the washtub, I’ll start fetching water from the well,” Merle said.

 _The washtub? I guess he washes the cape by hand himself. No help or anything._ His men had used to help him wash Scherazade’s cape when he was stationed at Fort Castelo. Washing a Guymelef cape wasn’t a one-man job. _I don’t think I’m going to get the sword done today._

He located the washtub and washboard and helped Merle bring in the water. Then he scaled Escaflowne, found the latches at its shoulders, and loosened each latch, revealing the twin pegs holding the cape in place underneath the shoulders. He unfastened one peg, then the other. The cape fell to the ground, forming a soft pile of fabric. He jumped down from Escaflowne, then, lifting the cape, lowered it into the tub and began to scrub away the dirt and blood. Forgetting Merle was still there, he began humming a tune as he worked.

“You’re in a good mood, Lord Van.”

Merle startled him out of his humming and his work. “Is that bothering you?”

“No, it’s fine. I just wondered what that song was. I’ve never heard it before.”

“Old Asturian song. Balgus knew some of them.”

“I must not have heard him sing many myself.”

Allen decided not to press his luck any further, returning to his work and switching to something Balgus actually had used to hum.

Merle sighed. “That song brings back so many memories.” When he said nothing, only continued scrubbing and humming, she said, “Sometimes when I had nightmares, Balgus would sing me back to sleep. I’d watch the moons glowing and the stars twinkling. As many skies as I’ve seen now, Fanelia is still the country with the prettiest night sky. I’ve never seen such a starry sky.”

_Balgus sang her back to sleep… It’s just as I thought. He and Merle must have been raised by Balgus._

She jumped out of the hay, then walked over to stand near the entrance to the barn. “Lord Van, even if you won’t say it, I know all you want is to go home, right? We lost everything. How can it ever be the same?”

Allen offered a sigh, but he barely had to act. His heart clenched with sympathy for Merle, and for Van. _He lost his entire country. It’s a small wonder he hates Zaibach so much._

“I miss the castle, the houses, and the people,” he said. “The market and the woods.”

“I wasn’t allowed to go beyond the castle until I was older, but I was always so jealous that Folken used to take you into the woods and climb trees with you.”

 _Folken? I feel like I’ve heard that name before, but I can’t place it._ “Yeah. And Balgus, too.”

“Sorry I brought him up,” she mumbled.

 _Ah, so ‘Folken’ is a sore spot._ “It’s fine,” he said, trying to sound just slightly on edge. “Folken is still part of my memories of Fanelia, even if…”

“He’s gone.”

 _I see._ Allen fell silent, bowing his head and dipping the middle of the cape in the washtub. His fingers felt a little raw after scrubbing the cape against the washboard.

“If he would have lived, he would have become the king instead of you,” Merle said.

Allen’s heart dropped into his stomach. _It’s his older brother. His older brother is dead._

“I don’t want to talk about him,” he snapped.

“Sorry. I just thought…” She trailed off, failing to finish her thought.

He continued scrubbing the cape, watching the skin on his fingertips prune. _If even his older brother is gone, that really does leave him alone. Merle is the only reminder he has left of home. Even if he doesn’t always act like it, he must be really glad she’s still with him._ He squinted, screwing up his features. _At least he still has someone. Who do I have? I don’t have anyone to understand me._

—

Though he’d wasted no time escaping from the palace, Van couldn’t exactly find refuge in the barn. Merle would have already dragged Allen out there, and she’d be suspicious if he showed up right after that. _Allen didn’t tell me where he was headed. I wonder where Hitomi is, but I don’t think Allen would go see her out of the blue. Usually, she’s the one looking for him._

 _Maybe the_ Crusade _is still in the hangar. Then I can meet up with some of Allen’s crew. Gaddes might know if anyone was expecting me today. Though after what happened with Princess Eries, I’m not exactly eager to go through any more confrontations._

The _Crusade_ was in the hangar of the castle, and Scherazade sat against the wall behind it. Two guys whose names he didn’t remember were cleaning the windows of the _Crusade_ , and Gaddes and Reeden were doing maintenance on Scherazade.

“Hey, Boss!” one of the mystery guys said.

“Hey, he’s up and about,” the other one said. “Ree, you lost your bet!”

“Aw, man,” Reeden said.

“You underestimated the boss,” the second mystery guy said. “He’s always up bright and early no matter how much liquor he’s had.”

“Or how many ladies he’s taken to bed,” the first mystery guy said, waggling his eyebrows. His partner bonked him on the head.

Van furrowed his brow. _Oh, come on. I had a headache, but I woke up alone._ “Shut up!”

The first guy winced. “Sorry, Boss.”

“Ooh, Kio, you struck a nerve,” whispered the second mystery guy.

“Must not’a been a good night,” Kio mumbled. “Usually that would get a charge out of him.”

 _That was supposed to be a joke? Does Allen really—?_ Van curled his lip. _Then again, he was already with Millerna before he met Hitomi. Then he kept going back and forth like it was a game. So he can’t pick between the two of them, and he’s flirting with other women, too? Gross._

“Hey, leave him alone, you idiots,” Gaddes yelled. He slugged Reeden’s shoulder. “You, too, Ree. No bettin’ on the boss.”

“Sorry, Boss,” Kio and the other guy said.

“Sorry, Boss,” said Reeden.

“Never mind that,” Van said. “Gaddes, I need to talk to you.”

Gaddes startled, then straightened his spine. “’Course, Boss. Reeden and Pyle’ll take care of Scherazade. Hey, Pyle, get your lazy ass over here!”

The other guy rolled his eyes. “Yeah, coming!”

Gaddes walked deeper into the hangar until he and Van were alone, then turned to Van, folding his arms. “What’s up, Boss?”

“I drank a little too much last night. Can you remind me where I was supposed to go today?”

“Well, you had that meeting with the Princess and Dryden in the atrium. Did you go there?”

“Yes, that just finished up.”

“All right. You were supposed to be free for the day after that. Unless the head of the Caeli calls for you or something, you’ve got time to kill.”

“I see. Do you know where Hitomi is?”

“Well, I know she’s not much for hanging around the little king lately, so I suppose she’s probably boarded up in the castle. Why don’t you ask Millerna where she is?”

_If I do that, is she going to ask about the wedding? Maybe I’d better not._

“What’s the worried look on your face for, Boss?”

“Millerna and Dryden just announced their wedding. I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to go see Millerna right after that.”

Gaddes frowned. “Right, right. Is that what you’re so wound up about?” Lowering his voice, he said, “I know you don’t like that Dryden fella, but you also haven’t been spending much time with Millerna. Maybe it’s time to move on, eh, Boss? There’s a lot of girls out there who’d go for you, if you’d be interested in any of ’em.” He shrugged. “Rumors are just that, rumors. The guys shouldn’t talk that way about you, but I guess _I_ shouldn’t get too involved in your personal affairs.”

 _How close is Gaddes with Allen? It seems like he knows him really well. And it sounds like the flirting is just a rumor, or at least Gaddes thinks it is._ Van folded his arms. _I know not every part of Allen’s character is perfect. But I don’t know that he’s really as… loose as the guys make him out to be. He seems too serious about Hitomi for that to be true. Maybe he_ is _in love with her. But if he is, what about Millerna?_

“Sorry, Boss, did I overstep?” Gaddes said. “You’ve just seemed so down since you got back from Zaibach with those two. So I’m guessing this wedding isn’t doing wonders for the way you’re feeling.”

_He’s right. Allen’s probably still mad after all the stuff about his father. I wonder what he saw in the Mystic Valley? He seemed pretty unsettled after that. And regardless of how he feels about Hitomi, he did like Millerna, and he doesn’t like Dryden. So he must be at least a little bit upset about the wedding, if only because of everything piling up on him._

_I know the feeling._

“I need to see Hitomi,” he said. _She’s been avoiding both of us after we came back. We had a long journey back from Zaibach, the three of us. A long, awkward journey._

“Whatever you say, Boss. Just hang in there, all right?”

_He’s concerned about Allen. He’s a really kind person compared to the other guys. I wish I had someone like that._

“Thanks,” Van said. “I’ll see you later, Gaddes.”

—

“We have a situation on our hands, Folken.” Dornkirk’s voice echoed in the belly of the _Vione_. “The dragon is seeking out the girl.”

“I doubt he intends to tell her. They already agreed to act as themselves to avoid confusing anyone, yes?” Just as he’d expected.

“Yes, but contact between the two could still prove worrisome.”

“Where are they?”

“The dragon is leaving the castle hangar. And the girl is on her way out of town.”

It might be a cause for concern. Who knew how Van would act now that he was in Allen’s body? Allen Schezar was far smoother with his words, so Van might find some confidence around Hitomi. But Folken was reassured with the thought that much unlike his rival, his brother had no idea what to do around the object of his affection.

There were few people Allen could believably go see while pretending to be Van. At some point, he would be driven toward Hitomi. But even if Hitomi saw Van when she looked at Allen, Allen, too caught up in his own misguided feelings for her, would not offer her the comfort she currently sought. Folken was certain that it would only be a minor disaster. Hitomi would be just baffled enough not to question what she saw, instead writing it off as a “bad day.”

“We have little reason to worry,” he told Dornkirk. “After all, where else does Allen Schezar have to go but toward the girl as well?”

—

Allen had finally managed to coax Merle into staying in the barn so he could head into town and look for Hitomi. He felt oddly compelled to seek her out, not in the least after finding out everything he hadn’t known about Van. _He’s heard all that stuff about my father. He might even know about my mother and sister, but I feel like I barely know_ him _. Is it possible he’s told Hitomi about his family? I wonder what he saw in the Mystic Valley…_

 _I’ve got to find Hitomi._ Van slowed his pace so he didn’t look like he was running. He searched the castle up and down. When he reached her room, he knocked on the door, but there was no response. _She’s already outside. Maybe in the courtyard._

He walked through the whole courtyard, but there was no sign of her. At the north entrance, he asked the guard if he’d seen her leave.

“The Mystic Moon girl? She came downstairs from the Princess’ quarters a little while ago. Seemed like she was in a hurry.”

_She was talking to Millerna. But I can’t exactly go up there and ask what happened. What could have made her leave? Where was she headed?_

Allen turned at the Blue Dolphin, sparing a glance at the sign before he continued down the street. _She’s probably still at the castle. I can take my time getting back there. Maybe I’ll stop at one of the bridges and watch the canal. When people aren’t constantly staring at me, I feel like I can almost relax._

He turned down one of the narrower streets, and the noise of the crowds diminished. _It’s quiet here. If I turn, I’ll come to the entrance to the southwest residential quarter. There’s a big bridge there, and it’ll be pretty quiet._

Something buzzed at the back of his mind when he walked onto the bridge. _No, I’m wasting my time. I still have this nagging feeling that I should go see Hitomi._

As he turned around, he was surprised to see her standing there.

Van exited the castle at the west entrance. He picked up his pace, weaving through the streets. Though he was headed toward the barn, he was unsure whether she would be there. Did she even know how to get there?

As he made his way through the city, people turned to look at him, especially women. The women were staring at him, some with half-lidded gazes, some with wide eyes and slightly open mouths. _Would Allen smile or wink at these complete strangers?_ Just the looks of the women alone made him nervous and uncomfortable. _Ugh, stop paying so much attention to me!_ He longed to blend in with the crowd again, but in Palas, Allen’s uniform and status stood out. _I’m just going to focus on carrying myself with dignity. I don’t want to waste time greeting all these people. Even though if I were in Fanelia, I would be greeting them._

He offered hurried smiles to people whose eyes he met, but nothing more than that. _I hope she didn’t go out alone. I don’t think Palas itself is that dangerous, but Zaibach might have planted spies anywhere, and their floating fortress could get here any time._

“Hitomi,” Allen said, not betraying any surprise in his voice.

“Van.” Her eyes were bright, her smile wide. _She still sees_ him _._

“I’m so glad to see you,” she said. “I just…” She lowered her head. “I’m the worst. All I do is make other people upset.”

“Why, what happened?”

“Millerna asked me for help, but I just couldn’t bring myself to help her. She’s worried about the wedding, but I’m…” She frowned. “I’m worried about Allen after what happened this morning.”

Allen’s heart twinged. _She’s worried about me._ “He was right to be angry about what Princess Eries said.”

“I don’t think that’s really why he’s mad.” She sighed. “But I don’t know what he’s feeling, or what Millerna’s feeling. And I’m afraid if I try to help, I’m just going to mess everything up!”

“There, there, Hitomi,” Allen said, stepping closer to her and setting a hand on her shoulder. “You can’t solve every problem. You’ll make yourself hysterical.”

“Van, what…?” She looked up at him, her mouth slightly open.

He smiled. _Ah, she’s still so cute. I like being eye level with her. It would be so much easier to just draw her in for a quick kiss. Her lips look soft…_

 _Wait. What am I thinking? I’m Van, not Allen!_ He withdrew his hand and folded his arms tightly, replacing his smile with a neutral expression. _Her concern is completely justified. What she foretold about my father came true. She found Van. And what she said about Zaibach turned out to be right, too. She’s never been wrong. That must be why she’s so afraid now._

Van sighed. _So many winding streets and I must have taken a wrong turn somewhere._ A woman had been walking a little too close for his liking, so he’d swung around a corner to get away from her. _I can’t forget my goal. I’ve got to find Hitomi._

 _I wonder what made her run away? She was with Millerna, so it must have had something to do with the wedding. Maybe they had an argument. After all…_ He remembered how Allen had embraced her on the _Crusade_ just before they’d arrived in the Mystic Valley, and his heart fell. _She_ does _like Allen._

 _So if she sees that I’m Allen, maybe it’ll be easier for her to tell me, then?_ He lowered his head. _I don’t know if she’ll still confide in “Van” now that she’s growing closer to Allen… but knowing Allen, he’d probably do a much better job as me than I’d do as him._

_No matter what, I’ve still got to find her._

“Millerna asked you to do something for her? What did she want?”

Hitomi frowned and averted her eyes. “She wanted me to tell her fortune. But I can’t do it. What if it’s like before and what I tell her comes true? I can’t stand the thought of making another mistake and messing everything up. And now Allen seems mad, too, and I just don’t know if any of this is right.” She sighed, burying her face in her hands. “I know Millerna wasn’t forcing me into anything, but I can’t help feeling like I _have_ to help!”

“Hitomi, calm down!” Allen nearly shouted it, a little roughly.

“Huh?” Her voice was breathy. She lowered her hands slowly, meeting his eyes.

“You can’t get so worked up about it. You’re going to make yourself sick. I know you can’t help worrying about the wedding, but Millerna and Allen will decide what they want on their own.”

_Van probably doesn’t care about the wedding at all, but he would definitely care about Hitomi being upset._

“Yeah…” Hitomi wiped her eyes on her sleeve. “You’re right. I can’t control how Millerna feels. But what about tomorrow? She’s going to see me again tomorrow, and she’s going to want me to read her fortune. She’s not going to give up that easily if she knows I’ve done it for everyone else.”

“You’re right that she’s not the type to give up easily. She’s nervous about the wedding, so whatever she can do to calm herself down, she’s going to try it.”

“She definitely isn’t. When she gets her mind set on something…” She blinked, her expression going blank. “Wait, Van. What did you say?”

 _If I don’t find her soon, I’m going to start asking strangers!_ Unease knotted Van’s stomach. He had looked down every alleyway he passed, but had seen nothing so far. _She has to be somewhere around here._ At the end of the market district, he saw the sign of the tavern that he passed on his way out of Palas. There were only a couple more side streets that Hitomi might have taken. One led to a dead end, and the other led to a bridge with a field beyond it.

_Wait, isn’t that the bridge where I talked to Folken? And Hitomi—_

He had to catch his breath remembering the first time Hitomi was close to him.

There was a resounding echo in his mind, and the pendant swung.

_She’s down there!_

Allen swallowed. _I’ve got to come up with something! Think fast, think fast! When was Van around?_

He cleared his throat quietly. “I was just saying, Millerna used her medical knowledge to heal Allen. And when you died and I was wounded, she tried to help us, too, even though she wasn’t able to.”

“Oh, of course. You’re right. She’s a really talented doctor.”

“She just seems like she wouldn’t give up on something she really wants.” _Okay, that was too much. Gotta make a quick recovery._ “Kind of like you, you know? I guess that’s why she gets along with you so well.” _I’m just making it worse. Van would never pick up on that._ “So maybe you should talk to her again tomorrow.”

“Van?” Hitomi was squinting at him now. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing’s the matter. I just don’t like seeing you so upset.”

A pair of footsteps thudding through the alleyway made them both turn their heads.

Van’s heart dropped into his stomach. _Allen’s already here. I’m too late._

“Allen,” Hitomi said, breathless. Allen looked at her in his peripheral vision and noticed her eyes had gone wide again. “It looks like you were in a hurry. Were you looking for Van?”

“You went away from the castle, Hitomi,” Van said, taking a tentative step toward the bridge. He paused, trying to catch his breath. “No one was with you. What if you weren’t able to find your way back? Don’t run off like that!”

_I know she had her reasons. And she’s smart enough to find her way back. But I think Allen would say something like that._

Allen quirked a brow. _I’m surprised that was what came to mind for him. Is that what he’s feeling, or does he really know me that well?_

“I’m sorry,” Hitomi said, looking at the ground. “I—guess I’d better—”

Allen sighed under his breath. _If I stay here, she’s going to get suspicious again. Van and I are never in the same place for long if she’s around. Come to think of it, in the past few days Van has been keeping his distance from me even when she’s not around._

He walked away without saying goodbye or looking at Van. _I’m kind of curious how this will go. It can’t be any worse than this morning, right?_ He tucked himself behind one of the houses in the alleyway, then slowly turned his head until he was still mostly hidden by the house, but could still watch Hitomi and Van. _Here we go. Don’t mess this up for me, Van._

“What’s the matter, Hitomi?” Van asked. “Why did you run away?”

She lifted her head, meeting his eyes again. His heart was still pounding in his throat from running, and her soft green gaze made it beat even faster.

“I—I got scared,” she said. “I was worried about Millerna, and the wedding, and…”

“What happened?”

“Millerna wanted me to tell her fortune, but I’m still so worried.”

 _She’s not telling me the whole story. Probably because she still sees Allen._ “What are you worried about? Tell me.”

She shook her head. “I can’t!”

Then she turned on her heel, like she was getting ready to run away from him.

“Hitomi!”

She turned back toward him. “What?”

“Stay here.” _If she won’t tell me what happened, maybe I can try something else. I am Allen, after all._ He took a cautious step toward her. “I’m sure you have nothing to worry about.” Silently breathing in, he set his hand on her opposite shoulder. His chest bumped into her other shoulder, his stomach turning over at the contact. _She’s so close._ “I talked to Princess Eries. I’m certain Millerna will be happy with Dryden.”

Jealousy surged like bile in Allen’s stomach. _What the hell?! He’s learning way too fast!_ He grumbled under his breath, folding his arms tightly. _If Van were in his body and standing here right now, he’d be furious. Does he even realize what he’s doing? She still sees_ me _!_

“Are you really sure about that?” Hitomi lowered her head, frowning. “It just seems like it’s all happening so fast. I don’t know if this is what Millerna really wants, or what you want. Everyone’s trying to tell me it’s the best thing to do, even _Van_. Why is everyone acting like this?” She stepped back, and Van dropped his arm from her shoulder. “I don’t get it!”

Van scowled. _‘Even Van’? I don’t care about that stupid wedding! I only care about it because it’s making her anxious. I wouldn’t care if the damn thing got called off or they had two ceremonies. What did Allen_ say _to her?_

“Van probably told you that because you were so upset. He didn’t want to see you worry.” He looked down at her, raising his eyebrows and smiling slightly. _I hope that looks at least a little like an Allen-like face._ “I don’t want to see you worry either.”

Allen had to pinch his nose to hold back his snort. _Van Fanel,_ what _is that expression?! But she seems to be buying it. She still looks a little red-faced._

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Hitomi said. “You look kind of uncomfortable.”

“I’m fine. I just don’t like to see you frown.”

_It’s now or never. Here goes nothing!_

He swallowed all his doubt and pulled Hitomi closer until her head was nestled in his chest. _My heart’s pounding so fast, but I don’t care if it makes her suspicious. I almost want her to find out. Do you know it’s me, Hitomi?_

“Allen?” Hitomi gasped. “Why…” she began, but her voice faltered.

_She’s so warm and she smells sweet. I want to run my hand through her hair. Lean down and kiss the top of her head. I can’t do any of that even if I am Allen. Especially not while she’s still worried. I’m just trying to comfort her, that’s all._

His heart was still racing, and his cheeks were beginning to flush. _I need to say something!_ “When I’m with you, I forget all my worries.”

Allen’s jealousy faded for a moment. Instead, he felt himself smiling looking at the two of them. _She does still see me, after all. But it should be me out there! I should be in my body, damn it!_ He folded his arms, grumbling. _This isn’t fair. I try to touch her in Van’s body, and she thinks something’s wrong. Van touches her in my body, and she’s… well, she’s not shrugging him off. But he’s actually touching her now that he’s in my body._

He felt a pang of sympathy for Van. _Van wouldn’t have_ had _to touch her at all. He’s doing it because he_ wants _to. Being in my body must make him feel bolder. But what if he takes it too far? She’s going to get suspicious. Don’t get_ too _confident, Van!_

Hitomi pushed him away and stepped out of his embrace. “No!”

Van blinked. “Wh—Hitomi?”

“You want me to think everything’s okay, but I _know_ it isn’t!” She folded her arms, furrowing her brow. “Something’s up with you today. And something’s up with Van, too! Why is everyone _off_?”

Allen and Van both felt their hearts plummet into their stomachs.

_Oh. No._

—

“Destiny is accelerating rapidly!” a worker shouted from further inside the _Vione._

“We have a situation, Strategos!” said another.

“Folken, the girl is onto them,” Dornkirk said.

“Damn.” Folken turned his back on Dornkirk’s hologram. “We need a good distraction.”

The twins knelt in the shadows. One silver head bowed, one gold head bowed.

“Lord Folken, we are yours to command,” Eriya said. “However you see fit.”

“We’ll set those insufferable boys and their Mystic Moon girlfriend straight,” Naria said.

Folken turned toward Dornkirk again with a smirk. “It’s time for a little diversion.”

—

Van had just barely begun to think of what he could say next when Hitomi’s eyes went wide.

“Something’s coming,” she said, shivering. “Zaibach is coming!”

“Let’s get back to the castle. I need to get Scherazade!”

“But what about Van and Escaflowne?”

“We don’t have time!” _I don’t know if I can handle this alone, but I need to take care of whatever comes._ “They don’t know where Escaflowne is, so we need to keep them out of the city. And you need to be out of danger.” Without thinking, he grabbed her hand. “Come on!”

Once Van and Hitomi had passed by, Allen tore out of the alleyway and past the Blue Dolphin, out onto the dirt road toward the barn. _Never mind that I have no idea how to operate a flying Guymelef or if Escaflowne’s going to reject me._

He reached the barn and Escaflowne. Merle wasn’t there, so she must have already returned to the castle. The cape still hung on one of the rafters, drying after he’d washed it. He yanked it down and climbed up on each shoulder of Escaflowne, opening the shoulder compartments and refastening the pegs, then closing the compartments. Then he climbed up its leg. _All right. Where’s the latch?_ He searched the starboard side, but couldn’t find it. _How the hell do I open the control chamber?_

Van left Hitomi in the courtyard and rushed back to the hangar, where another pair of Allen’s men were doing maintenance on the _Crusade_. Scherazade was still seated against the wall. _Okay, this is a regular Guymelef, so there’s a latch somewhere._ He located the latch, opened the control chamber, and hopped inside, just as the bells went off again. _They must have arrived. But where?_

“Allen, wait!” Hitomi shouted, her shoes squeaking against the hard pavement of the hangar.

He opened the control chamber, looking down at her. “What is it?”

“There are two of them. They’re in the central square!”

“Central square. Got it. I’ll head into town and find them!”

“Be careful!”

 _There’s no latch on the port side either._ Allen looked up at the pink Energist compartment beside the control chamber. _Is_ this _it?_ He reached his hand up, pressing it to the compartment. A weird energy surged through his veins, and the control chamber opened. He climbed in and closed it. _Once I’m out of the barn, then I can look for the transformation mechanism, or lever, or whatever it is._

He opened the control chamber door to let light in, withdrawing his arms from Escaflowne’s limbs. _What’s this over here? Looks promising._ He flipped the switch, then Escaflowne suddenly rumbled underneath him.

“ _Whoa_!”

Van stomped through the empty streets, taking care not to hit any houses or market stalls. The central square became closer, and finally, he saw the hairlike crests of the twin Zaibach Guymelefs. He ran into the square, and the two Guymelefs turned toward him.

The woman in the gold-haired Guymelef giggled mischievously. “Look, it’s our knight in shining armor.”

“We’ll have fun playing with him, won’t we?” said the woman in the silver-haired Guymelef.

 _These two again. The last couple times I fought them, I was still trying to gather my courage. But I’m not afraid, not anymore._ He drew Scherazade’s sword and prepared to charge. _I’ll show them just how powerful I’ve become!_

Allen tried to catch his breath. Escaflowne had turned into a dragon right underneath him, and he hadn’t fallen off. Rather than sitting in the control chamber, he was sitting on a leather seat, not unlike a horse’s saddle. _That’s right… it’s just a giant horse. A giant, flying, mechanical horse. Or more like a leviship, I guess._ His pulse was erratic, and his palms were sweaty. _Come on, I’ve ridden a horse and I’ve flown a leviship. There’s no reason I can’t fly Escaflowne._

 _After the initial shock wore off, I was kind of excited when I first found out I was in Van’s body, because it meant I’d be able to fly. There’s probably no chance I’ll get to use his wings, but I definitely won’t get this chance ever again._ He tightened his grip on the dragon’s reins. _I’ve got a place to be. Let’s go!_

Van yelled a war cry and swung his sword. The silver-haired Guymelef blocked his strike with its arms, and the other one fired a shot of liquid metal at him. He sliced the liquid metal apart, then slashed the head of the gold-haired Guymelef. The woman operating the Guymelef grunted in pain, and Van squared up to hit her again. Suddenly, Scherazade’s shoulder crunched. He didn’t feel the impact, only heard it. He whirled around and countered with a quick punch to the silver Guymelef’s arm.

_I know why I didn’t feel it, but why didn’t I see her coming?_

The silver Guymelef fired another liquid metal shot. Van halved it with his sword, then aimed at her arm. She dodged, leaping aside. The liquid metal in her Guymelef’s arms morphed into short claws, and she scratched Scherazade’s visor. A screech racked his ears, and he winced.

_Scherazade is very different from Escaflowne. I’m a lot stronger in Allen’s body, but I didn’t expect the sword to be so light and the Guymelef to be so unwieldy. I’m not as quick as I would be with Escaflowne._

Van heard footsteps behind him. He turned on his heel, meeting the silver Guymelef’s claws with his sword. The gold Guymelef flashed its own claws and pounced on him. Tension mounted as his blade and their weapons locked, but he stood firmly in place, resisting their combined strength with his entire body.

“You’re just standing in our way,” taunted the woman in the gold Guymelef.

“We’ve got our sights set on the dragon,” crooned the woman in the silver Guymelef.

“I’ll never let you get Van!” Van cried, pushing through their claws. He landed a solid hit on the silver Guymelef. She staggered sideways, colliding with the other Guymelef and knocking both of them to the ground, where they struggled to untangle their oversized limbs.

_Allen would say that. Even if it’s not for the same reason, Allen would protect me the same way he’d protect Hitomi. He made a promise to me back when Fort Castelo burned, that he would never turn me or Escaflowne over to Zaibach._

Blood was pounding in Van’s ears, a smile coming to his lips. _It’s time for me to show that the same goes for him._

Allen’s head was spinning, wind whistling in his ears. _I swore I wasn’t afraid of heights, but this is_ not _a leviship. If I make one wrong move, I’ll be flat on the ground._ He swallowed his growing nausea, focusing on the town coming into view and the sounds of metal clanging in the square in the distance. _That must be where they are. All right, let’s land this thing!_

Van coughed, stepping back to catch his breath as the women in the Guymelefs laughed at him. He’d been meeting their swords equally, but Allen’s body was still tired from his hangover, and Van’s mind was starting to wander worrying about Allen and Hitomi. And on top of all that, he couldn’t predict his enemies’ next movements.

 _Scherazade’s already sustained a lot of damage._ Wires sparked in Scherazade’s busted shoulder, and the liquid metal claws had split its visor. _But I need to keep fighting. I can’t let them get to Allen and Escaflowne!_

The two Guymelefs suddenly lifted their heads to the sky. “Sister, is that the dragon?” the woman in the gold one said.

“You go after him,” the woman in the silver one said. “I’ll deal with this guy.”

 _Allen’s coming?_ “I don’t think so!” Van snarled, planting himself in front of both of them. He aimed a powerful blow at the gold one, but she rocketed off before he could hit her, and his sword smacked the middle of the silver one’s visor. While she was wailing in pain, he turned around and looked to the sky.

Allen was flying Escaflowne. He was descending, but Escaflowne’s tail and wings were skimming the eaves of the houses. _No, he’s not_ descending _. He’s falling._

He was plummeting.

Headfirst.

Toward the ground.

“VAN!” Van screamed.

He glanced over his shoulder to ensure his opponent was stunned. She was charging her liquid metal, but before she could think about unleashing it, he rammed his elbow into her control chamber, blowing her backward and onto the ground. She would probably get up and chase him, but he needed to stop Allen from crashing Escaflowne.

His stomach was churning with fear and anxiety. _My body is still bound to Escaflowne’s. If Allen wrecks Escaflowne, what’s going to happen?_

He stormed through the streets, calling his own name, waving Scherazade’s arms, brandishing his sword, trying anything to get Allen’s attention. _If he just adjusts his altitude a little, or if he can catch a dragonwind!_

Though all he could hear was the wind roaring in his ears, Allen suddenly had a strange feeling. _Someone’s shouting Van’s name. And I think it’s Van!_ He tried his hardest to fix Escaflowne’s altitude as it grazed the rooves of the houses. _I don’t know if I can get righted in time, but I really need to avoid causing any more damage. Hang in there, Van, I’m coming!_

Suddenly, a gold-haired Guymelef appeared in his flight path. “Playtime’s over, little king!”

“No!” Van shouted, having nearly lost sight of Allen. _If the gold Guymelef swats him out of the sky, that’s bad news for him and Escaflowne!_

 _Up! I’ve got to go up!_ Allen gritted his teeth as he swerved to avoid the gold Guymelef’s liquid metal claws, focusing on the horizon. _If I go up to avoid her, then I still have a chance of landing in the square!_

Van’s breath got caught in his throat, and he started to cough, forcing him to stop Scherazade in its tracks. _Where did he go?_ He glanced over his shoulder, checking his back. The silver Guymelef was running up behind him.

“Clever that you thought you could _help_ your little friend,” she sneered. “I shouldn’t say ‘little,’ of course. After all, _you’re_ still Lord Folken’s little brother in there, right?”

 _What?!_ She swiped at Van with her claws. He dodged and landed a strike on her arm. “How do you know?”

The woman giggled. “Woman’s intuition, I suppose. Or cat’s intuition.”

She slashed with her left arm, and he barely countered her. _I can’t take much more. But I can’t turn my back on her, because I can’t see where she is like I would in Escaflowne._

His heart clenched with pain and fear. _I can’t help Allen right now, but Escaflowne just can’t crash! Not just because I don’t want to lose my body. I don’t want to lose him either!_

_Come on, Allen. Fly!_

“Not so hot now that you’ve taken to the skies, hmm?” the woman in the gold Guymelef taunted. “Let’s see you dodge this.”

A liquid metal claw emerged from the arm of the woman’s Guymelef. Allen narrowly avoided it. Just as he did, he felt that odd feeling again, like Van was cheering him on. A sudden burst of warm wind flowed underneath Escaflowne, and it soared high into the air. At the edge of town, he reversed Escaflowne easily, like he’d been flying it all his life. It had felt so heavy and awkward before, but now it was light and easy to maneuver.

The Guymelef had frozen before him, like the woman was stunned. Grinning, Allen charged forward, slamming Escaflowne into her Guymelef and sending her sailing. He chuckled, lit up with confidence as he headed toward the square. _Bet you’ve never done one of those, eh, Van?_

The silver Guymelef froze in place, lowering her claw, though Scherazade’s sword was crushing it. “My sister’s down.” She raised both arms, her Guymelef seeming to tense as she charged forward. “Your stupid little friend took her down!”

She shoved Van, and he fell back onto Scherazade’s bottom. The Guymelef loomed over him. Liquid metal was swirling in her claws.

He heard his own voice shout, “Allen! Get out of the way!”

He barely had time to roll over, leaving Scherazade on its side, one of its hands flat against the pavement.

Then Escaflowne arrived, skidding across the square, blowing the silver Guymelef away with the force of its landing. Allen tried to pull back on the reins, but Escaflowne didn’t stop, and it crashed into the side of a house. Its neck curled up and it turned over, flinging Allen aside. His body collided with the pavement, and his neck and arm twisted in an unnatural way. He yelled in agony.

“Van!” Van cried. He looked for the silver Guymelef, but just as he turned his head, there was a puff of smoke, and the Guymelef had flown away. _I’ll get them next time._ He opened the control chamber and climbed out of Scherazade, rushing over to check on Allen. Allen’s eyes were closed, but his chest was rising and falling. A trickle of blood ran from his hairline down his cheek to his twisted neck.

Eyes wide with horror, Van looked over at Escaflowne. One of its arms was turned sideways, and its neck was contorted. _If I can adjust Escaflowne’s arm, I won’t need to call the Ispano to repair it. But it’s really going to hurt._ Swallowing, he walked over to Escaflowne and knelt in front of the dislocated arm.

He turned toward Allen. “I don’t know if you can hear me right now, but… sorry about this, Allen.”

Summoning all his strength, he gripped Escaflowne’s arm and moved it slightly forward. Allen howled in pain, and there was a cracking noise. He rushed over to check Allen’s body. He was breathing heavily, sweat beading on his forehead, eyes half-lidded. The arm still looked unnatural. _Not to mention that drop of blood there. He must have hit his head, too. I’d better make sure he knows what’s going on._

“Allen?” he said. “Do you remember where you are?”

Allen’s lips trembled, and he grunted in pain, then tried saying something, but it was too faint to hear.

“What was that?” Van said, leaning down.

“Escaflowne’s hurt.” Allen’s voice was breathy, weak. “I’m sorry… Van.”

“I don’t care about Escaflowne right now. _You’re_ hurt.”

“Is it… bad? My arm… Am I… going to…”

Van’s stomach cramped, and tears burned behind his eyes. “No!”

“I see.” Allen’s breathing slowed, then his eyes fluttered shut.

Van looked back at Escaflowne. _I can’t do this on my own. I’ve got to get him back to the castle and tell everyone what happened._ _But how am I going to get him back there?_ _I don’t know if I can support both his head and his arm._ Then Van remembered the laces on his shirt. _Of course. I can put his arm in a sling. That’ll make carrying him back a lot easier._

He began to ease the red shirt off of Allen’s torso and his uninjured arm, taking care not to suddenly jostle his head or his shoulder. When he lifted Allen’s head to slip the shirt off, his hair was damp and matted. It smeared red onto Van’s hand, but it wasn’t dripping wet. With the shirt still on the injured shoulder, he laid Allen’s arm across his body. Unsheathing his sword, he turned the blade toward himself and sliced the sleeve open. He removed the shirt from underneath Allen’s arm and tore it down the length of the sleeve. There was just enough fabric to make the shirt into a sling. He pulled the laces free and used them to tie the sling at Allen’s neck.

_Okay, that should work for now. I’ll only have to support his head on the way back._

As he cautiously lifted Allen, he sighed. _I never thought I’d be carrying my own body back from battle._

—

“I don’t think he’s suffered any major trauma to his head.” Millerna was holding Allen’s head in her hand, pushing his bangs aside to look at his hairline. His chin was still tucked in the crook of his neck. “And you said he seems aware of where he is. But I do feel a gash on the back of his head that I’ll need to bandage.”

“What about his arm and neck?” Van asked.

“His shoulder is the problem.” She gingerly traced her finger along his shoulder. “If you look right here, you can see how the shoulder’s… misaligned, and that’s not good. But I can’t seem to set it.”

“It has to be Escaflowne,” Van said. “I looked at it as it landed, and I’m certain that’s what it is.”

“There’s no way we have enough money to pay those little Ispano guys again, Boss,” Gaddes mumbled. “And I don’t think we can do the job ourselves.”

Hitomi lowered her head, gazing at the body lying in the bed.

_She’s worried about me. She doesn’t know it’s Allen in there. But I don’t know that it would make a difference to her._

“Nobody’s calling the Ispano,” he said. “Fixing a twisted arm and neck is just a matter of adjusting the same parts on Escaflowne.” _At least, I hope it is. When I turned Escaflowne’s arm, it seemed to do nothing, but maybe if Allen’s men try turning it?_

“You think so?” Gaddes asked.

“We should at least try,” Hitomi said. “But Millerna, can you put him under this time?”

“Please do,” Van added. When Gaddes shot him an inquiring look, he said, “I mean, just think about the last time it happened. We shouldn’t put him through any more pain than necessary.”

“The Ispano said he needed to stay awake for the procedure,” Dryden said.

Everyone lifted their heads at the sound of his voice, and turned to see him standing in the doorway. He smirked and waltzed in. “If anyone knows the ins and outs of a procedure like this, it’d be the Ispano. Rather than treating this like an experiment, why don’t you let them take care of it?” He shrugged. “I’ve got cash to spare. The king’s life is important, after all.”

Gaddes hissed through his teeth. “I dunno. The little guys drive a hard bargain.”

“ _Gaddes_ ,” Hitomi and Millerna said.

He raised his hands defensively. “I was only saying!”

“There are other reasons to be reluctant,” Van said. “The last time we called the Ispano, we had no choice. But it also drew Zaibach’s attention. If we can fix Van’s injuries without calling the Ispano, we’ll also be able to avoid any more damage to the capital.”

“Smart thinking, Allen,” Dryden said. “The royal guard recovered Escaflowne. It’s down in the hangar. If you want to carry Van down there and see what happens, the rest of your men are waiting for your command.”

Hitomi and Millerna looked up at him. He could feel Gaddes’ eyes on him.

“Let’s try it,” he said.

They carried Allen downstairs and set him on a litter in front of Escaflowne, which was sprawled out on the floor in front of them. Van ordered the two strongest men, Kio and Pyle, to turn Escaflowne’s arm and right it in its socket.

“Which way, Boss?” Pyle asked.

“Try matching the other arm.”

“All right,” Kio said. “Here goes nothin’.”

They pulled hard, turning the arm forward. Allen’s eyes shot open, and he screamed in pain, his cries ringing in the hangar. Gaddes pinned him to the litter, the remaining crew members surrounding him. Hitomi plugged her ears with her fingers. Tears streamed from her closed eyes. Merle clung to her and hid her face. Millerna’s eyes were wide with horror, and sweat was dripping from Gaddes’ brow.

 _This must have been what everyone was feeling when I was injured. They must have all been horrified…_ Bile rose in Van’s throat, and nausea throbbed in his stomach. _I’m glad it’s not me right now, but I hate that Allen has to go through this while he’s in my body._

“Okay, Boss!” Kio said. “I think the joint’s in place now. I’m not hearing any squeaking when I move it around.”

“It’s not loose anymore,” Pyle agreed. “It’s a tight fit.”

Van walked over to the litter as Gaddes removed his arm from his body. “How’s your arm, Van? Better now?”

Allen didn’t open his eyes, but moved his arm weakly, and responded with a grunt of affirmation.

“Okay. Good.”

As Van started to walk away, Allen reached out with the newly fixed arm and grasped the side of his uniform skirt.

“…hurts…” was all Van could make out.

“Yeah, it hurts like hell,” Gaddes said. “Just about made me deaf,” he mumbled under his breath. Then, to Allen, “We just got your neck to take care of, then you can get some rest.”

Allen groaned and let go of the skirt. Van’s heart clenched. _Was he trying to tell me something?_

“It looks like one of the links on the neck got dislocated when it crashed,” Pyle was saying. He was stooped over Escaflowne’s neck. There were two long links in its neck. The top one was turned so far out of place it was almost disconnected from the one below. Just like Allen’s, Escaflowne’s head was bent to the side.

“Look away, ladies,” Gaddes said. “It ain’t gonna be pretty.”

Hitomi’s eyes were still shut. Merle burrowed deeper in her coat. Millerna placed her hands over her ears.

“So it’s just a matter of getting it back in place?” Van asked.

“Yeah, I think we’ll be good after that,” Kio said. “I don’t see any other damage, so then the little king can get his rest.”

Van sighed. _We both need it after that._ “Make it quick.”

—

Allen’s head was throbbing. The back of his neck and his shoulder still ached. He remembered crashing Escaflowne, but after that, it was all sort of blurry.

Van had carried him back. Millerna must have looked at him. Then they’d taken him down to the hangar. _They twisted my arm. Then my neck…_ He groaned. _That was the worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life. Way worse than the liquid metal claw._

Finally, he opened his eyes to see himself, sitting at his bedside.

“You’re awake,” Van said. “How does your head feel?”

Allen reached up to touch his forehead. “Bandages here. Did I hit my head?”

“Do you remember what happened?”

Allen nodded weakly. “Yeah. How could I forget?” He laughed, then started to cough.

“You should probably sit up,” Van said. He lifted him under his arms and set him upright against the pillows. “Is that better?”

“Better.” He saw the glass of water sitting on the bedside table, and reached for it. Van watched him warily, but he had no issue lifting it to his mouth and drinking. He set it back down, taking a breath out after he swallowed. He rubbed the back of his neck.

“You have some bruising there.”

Allen nodded. “I can feel it.” He looked toward the door, then around the room. The door had been shut behind them. “You didn’t have to sit with me.”

“Um, well.” Van averted his eyes. “You were trying to tell me something earlier… Allen. I figured while we were alone, I could ask what that was.”

Allen smirked. _Doubtful that’s the only reason. I can see it on his—well, my—face. He’s worried about me._ “What did I say?”

“It was after your arm had been fixed. All I heard was that it hurt.”

“Oh. I was trying to say I finally understand how much it hurts.”

“How much it hurts? When Escaflowne gets hurt, you mean?”

Allen shook his head, smiling. “Not just that. You…” He hesitated. _How can I say this without embarrassing him?_ “Your life is… really hard. And it hurts. A lot.” _Wow, I can’t think of a more eloquent way to say that? I must still be dazed from hitting my head._

Van opened his mouth slightly. Then he bowed his head. “Why do you say so?”

“There are a lot of reasons why.” _I don’t have to be specific. But I am curious about one thing._ “Merle mentioned a Folken. Was he your older brother?”

“What?!” Van scowled. _Oh, it’s_ really _a sore spot!_ “Why did he come up?!” He shook his head. “Forget whatever she told you.”

“She didn’t tell me very much. I just assumed he was your brother, because she apologized for bringing him up. I realized you must have lost everyone, not just your country. Merle is all you have. Isn’t she?”

Van hesitated. Then his scowl turned to a neutral expression. “I found out some things, too. I might have messed things up with Millerna, but it was even worse with Eries.” His cheeks flushed slightly. _So weird seeing myself blush._ “I told her you weren’t in love with Millerna, because I thought it was what she wanted to hear. Then I went to see Gaddes, and your crew was talking about you flirting with a bunch of other girls.” He furrowed his brow. “But Gaddes said they were just rumors. You’re not really like that, are you?”

_Does he want the truth? Or is he secretly trying to ask about Hitomi?_

“There’s only one woman I’ve ever loved, and I doubt I will ever love another the way I loved her,” Allen said.

Van only responded with a “hm” that was more like a grunt.

“What do you think?”

“Knowing you, I’m not sure whether the answer is ‘no’ or ‘yes’.”

Allen laughed, at first a quiet chuckle. Then he was shaking with it, bending over in bed. “You must have really learned a lot about me!”

When he raised his head, he saw a small, almost bashful, smile on Van’s face. “Yeah. I did. Not just you. I learned more about myself, somehow.”

Allen smiled. “I feel the same way. I don’t think I’ll ever wish Escaflowne was my Guymelef again.”

Van frowned slightly. “I hope we aren’t stuck like this too much longer. But if we are…” He met Allen’s eyes with an intense stare. “No, even if we aren’t, I’m not going to let Zaibach get you. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Allen matched his intensity, gripping the side of the bed with one hand. “I’ll keep you safe, too.” _I don’t know what the future will bring, but one thing will never change._ “I made a promise to you when Fort Castelo burned. And a Knight Caeli never breaks his word.”

Van’s mouth fell open, and Allen’s heart warmed upon seeing his shocked joy. _Come what may, Van, we will always be more than just brothers-in-arms. You are my treasured friend._

Van was about to speak, but before he could say anything, someone knocked on the door. Van stood up and walked over to the door, opening it. Hitomi was standing on the other side, and she closed the door behind her as she came in.

“Hitomi,” Allen said, watching her step inside. Though Van moved aside, she stayed in place, looking from Van to Allen.

“What’s wrong?” Van asked, folding his hands in his lap just like he had that morning.

“I’ve finally figured out what was bothering me earlier,” she said to Van. “I knew I was right for sure when you said about putting him under for the surgery.” She took a step forward, pointing at Van. He flinched away from her index finger. “ _You’re_ actually Van!” Then she turned and pointed at Allen. “And you’re actually _Allen_.”

Allen was going to say something, but his breath caught in his throat. He looked at Van, and saw his face going pale. Then he suddenly felt lightheaded, and he only heard Van’s body thump against the floor before his own head slumped back against the pillows.

—

Folken sighed. “She found them out.”

“The girl was much smarter than I anticipated,” Dornkirk bellowed. “I hope you have a contingency, Folken, since this experiment was a failure.”

It wasn’t that the girl was especially smart, though, admittedly, she _was_. It was just that Van and Allen’s play had collapsed in on itself when the other one was in danger. It was fear that had driven them to shed their skins, fear that had driven them back toward each other. And the girl’s concern had driven her to realize what was wrong.

Fear, normally such a selfish emotion. But their fear had become concern, just like Hitomi’s bewilderment had become concern. What was it that made fear for one’s own life and situation into concern for another’s life and situation? It must be great understanding for the other person. Understanding that turned into empathy. Empathy… an emotion born from nothing other than _love_.

The love between the two men was too strong. At the same time, each man’s feelings for the girl were growing. He had meant to confuse them, drive them apart, but he had only brought them closer. After this failure, he had to drive them apart again. And he had a plan. All he needed to do was water the seed of jealousy in Allen Schezar’s heart. Combine that with the weakness of his own brother’s heart, and his plan would surely be infallible.

Turning toward the hologram again, he said, “I do. We shall commence Operation Golden Rule of Love.”

—

Van woke up in his bed. It was still late in the evening, or perhaps before dawn. The back of his head was throbbing, and his shoulder felt sore. There was a strand of hair in his vision. He reached up to push it away, and he saw his hand was a light brown color, and his arms were skinny.

Allen woke up in his bed. It was dark outside. He felt fine, but his body was incredibly sore and tired. As he sat up, strands of blonde hair fell forward. Throwing the covers off, he rushed to the mirror.

_Finally. It’s over._


End file.
